Choy sum, tofu skin & minced beef congee
A silky congee base made with tofu skin, finished in the morning with minced beef and choy sum — warming and sustaining for the workday.
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Qi Deficiency means tiring easily and a weak appetite, and as liver qi runs high at Awakening of Insects, digestion takes the strain. Beef builds qi and blood and strengthens digestion, and with a tofu-skin congee base and choy sum the bowl is warm and easy to digest — energy for the workday.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 90 min- 1The night before, rinse the rice. Rinse the tofu skin and break it into small pieces, then put it in the rice cooker with the rice, tangerine peel and water and set the porridge timer.
- 2Mix the minced beef with the soy sauce, cornflour and 2 tbsp water until sticky, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
- 3In the morning, pour the congee into a pan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add the beef a little at a time with a spoon and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until no pink remains.
- 4Add the finely chopped choy sum and the ginger and simmer for 1–2 minutes. Once the choy sum turns bright green, season with salt and serve straight away.
Chef's tips
- Add the beef and choy sum only in the morning — never leave them in the rice cooker on an overnight timer — and cook minced beef until no pink remains.
- Congee shops add tofu skin to make the base extra silky; choose pale yellow sheets that break easily.
The TCM view
Beef is sweet and neutral to warm, strengthening the spleen and stomach and building qi and blood; tofu skin is sweet and neutral and nourishes the stomach; choy sum is sweet and cool, clearing heat and balancing the warmth of the beef; tangerine peel moves qi so the tonic does not cause bloating. The classic spring advice is to 'eat less sour, more sweet' to protect the spleen, and this bowl is mildly sweet and warming without heating.
